Welcome Home, Jesse!
by Lita Pern
Summary: WHOAH! This story has been updated? The final chapter is now in English, enjoy. Now you can have a sense of closure. If you've never read it, I recommend I'm so humble, though the spanish is attrocious and kind of vulgar... heh heh heh... rated T for tha
1. Default Chapter

It's times like this that really, really make me hate my job. "Where's Corey? Where's COREY?"  
I grabbed her shoulders, desperately wishing that Father Dom wasn't there so I could slap some sense into her. "Listen to me!" I cried, shaking her violently. "He's probably still alive, unlike you, but to be absolutely sure I need you to calm down and tell me who Corey is."  
She didn't listen. Wow. I wasn't surprised at all. I should have slapped her. Things began to shake as she bawled on about Corey. At which point Jesse materialized in the office. Whaddya know? She was screaming so loud she woke the dead. Or, at least, disturbed him, as he had Los Hermanos Karamazov, por F.M. Dosteyevsky. Jesse scares me sometimes. He raised his eyebrow at the girl.  
The girl saw this, and dashed into his arms. "Corey! It's you!"  
His eyes grew wide. "No, Señorita, my name is Jesse." He smiled a completely gorgeous smile. "But I can help you find this Corey, if you wish. This girl here, Susannah, can speak to both the dead and the living. She is quite an asset."  
I felt like crying now: All I was to him was an asset. And not only that, he wasn't pulling out of Ms. Corey's warm embrace, or telling her I was his girlfriend, which I kind of was but not to him I guess. Hey! You'd feel like crying too.  
The girl trembled as Jesse wiped away her tear. And I don't blame her, Jesse is one gorgeous man. MY man. "Now," he soothed quietly, "who is Corey?"  
"Corey Vasquez. He's my boyfriend."  
Two things peeved me about this: one, she tells my totally hot Spanish boyfriend the answer, but will she tell me? Noooo. Of course not. That would make things easy. And two, she was a skank! She was full on cuddling my man when she has one of her own. "Do you remember if he was with you when you died?" I asked, rubbing a temple to get that pain out of my skull.  
"Died? What do you mean, died? Am I dead? Why didn't you tell me?"  
Some people just don't get a clue. "Umm, yeah, we've been telling you that for the past hour."  
She didn't take this last bit of news so well. "How can I be dead?" she wailed.  
"You stopped breathing and carrying out homeostasis!" I cried back, coining a term I'd used on my bio project.  
"Susannah!" Father Dom exploded. "Forgive her, she's not very sensitive, I'm afraid."  
Hee hee, I became very happy all of a sudden. Jesse stood up straighter. "It isn't that she's insensitive, Padre. She is trying to make the girl understand in a blunt approach. All other tactics have failed so far, right, Susannah?" My knight in a cowboy suit! I nodded curtly, still happy that Jesse stood up for me.  
"Jesse, please!" Father Dom moaned, turning to the girl. His eye caught on the newspaper on his desk. "Is your name Lauren Pharris?" he asked, reading an obituary.  
She nodded.  
"Well, Lauren, you died drowning in a riptide. Your boyfriend, Corey, I assume, tried to save you. He says you'll be dearly missed. and. oh my. According to this, he is the great-great-great-great-great-grandson to Luisa de Silva."  
Jesse nearly fainted. Instead, all the color rushed from his face, leaving him white as a ghost. as a ghost is supposed to be, I guess. "Mi hermana, my sister," he explained. Father Dom held up the article on the front page, "Celebrating the History of Carmel", complete with interviews of the descendants of the founders of the town.  
"That would explain why he looks like you," I muttered. "Come on, Lauren. Let's go talk with Corey. What's the message?"  
"I don't like you. Can he do it?" she asked, gesturing to Jesse. He had just wrapped his hand around mine so subtly Father Dom hadn't noticed. In .0000001 seconds he had removed his hand and blushed.  
"No, because Jesse is dead too. Susannah is still alive, she can relay the message. Although I have no doubt that Jesse will be there."  
I could feel the daggers Father Dom was shooting at me with is eyes. "So, where does Corey live?" I asked, avoiding the Father.  
  
"You really look like Corey, you know," she sang as the three of us walked down the street. Apparently he knew the whole episode with the embrace and tear-wiping had peeved me, because now he was walking so that our arms were laced together, looking to anyone living that wasn't a mediator that I had my hand in my pocket, but to the rest of us I was in quite a lovely position with a lovelier tanned Spanish rancher. And my did I feel good. Which is what he was going for, I guess.  
Jesse turned slightly to the side. "I wouldn't know. My sister Luisa looked nothing like me. She looked like our mother. I looked like Father."  
He suddenly stopped. His eyes flooded with worry, I could tell. Suddenly he leaned over and kissed my earlobe gently, whispered, "Te amo," and continued walking.  
God, I need to learn Spanish.  
"So, what's it like to be with someone who's alive when you're dead? Could I do that with Corey?" she bubbled on.  
"No, Susannah is a mediator. She can see and touch the dead. Corey is not."  
"How do you know?" she asked, creating another pensive and worried look on Jesse's face. "Here we are!" she chirped again, before Jesse could kiss me again. It was a huge house, and very old, like, from the 1800's. And that's when it hit me. Why when Jesse saw this place, his face went very gentle. Why he was looking at the wood of the porch with interest, as if remembering. Because he was. This was his house.  
I leaned over. "You lived here?" I whispered.  
"No," he answered. "This was the servants' house. And the ranch hands."  
My turn to feel creeped out. This was the servant's quarters??? The real house must have been, like, the size of Carmel! I knocked on the door. Corey answered, and Lauren wasn't kidding. This kid was Jesse. To a tea. Except that he didn't have that cute little scar. I felt a wave of contempt. My hot Latino boyfriend had a cute scar. Hers didn't.  
"Corey?" I asked for good measure, even though I knew the answer. He looked up into my eyes, as opposed to looking as if his shoes were the most interesting things in the world. "My name is Suze. I'm a mediator. I came with a message from Lauren."  
His eyes grew wide, showing off their chocolate brown color, so much like Jesse's, then filled with tears. "Don't mock me," he said in a silky voice, so much like my Jesse's. This was really getting weird.  
"I'm not mocking you," I screamed out of frustration. "Lauren, what did you want me to tell this guy anyway?"  
She was crying too, but ghosts don't really have liquid tears. "Tell him I would have said yes, because I love him very much. And I want him to move on with his life, and not worry about me all the time."  
I relayed the message, just as Father Dom said I was supposed to. And that's when he broke into sobs, tears staining his black silk shirt. I reached out a hand to comfort him, but another hand clenched my shoulder. Jesse looked pissed. "Vamos," he snapped, dragging me by my arm.  
"Bye!" I called back. "And your great-great-great-great-great-great- uncle Jesse de Silva says hi!"  
"I do not," he snarled. He dematerialized then, leaving me and Lauren standing there to walk home by ourselves. Then she disappeared. Great. She was moving on. Perfect timing! Damn. I walked home alone. 


	2. Chaper Two: Jesse's Still Unhappy

AN: This whole chappie is done from Jesse's POV. I'm not a guy, so it may not be entirely accurate. I don't own these ppl, don't sue, I have no money anyway, and lots of love on this end! 3 from Lita Pern. PS If you want, I can translate it roughly into Spanish! (or Russian, Japanese, Italian, ASL, and really roughly into French). Review and tell me do you want Jesse's native tongue (NOT HIS ACTUAL TONGUE, SICKO!) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
I saw how she looked at him. And why wouldn't she? He was alive. He breathed. He could take her to the picture shows I hear so much about, he can support her. and she wouldn't know the difference between him and me. There was no difference. Nothing to know.  
  
And then, of course, was Lauren. That girl, could she be any more annoying? How can anyone, especially in my bloodline, like such a girl? She was so much like Maria. always complaining and absorbed. Pretty, I'll confess, but nothing compared to Susannah. Who currently had some sparkling look in her eye over my nephew. And what's more, I. wait. Why did I come to her room? Should I leave her on the streets alone? She could get hurt! She could be killed! And Corey Vasquez couldn't save her from the dead.  
  
I was about to dematerialize to her side when she came into the room, looking tired and enraged. "What was that about?" she snarled, looking ready to kill. A shame Maria beat her to it.  
  
"I could ask you the same!" I shot back, standing up so quickly Spike was thrown off my lap.  
  
"About what? I'm not the one who left their g. friend walking home at night all alone!"  
  
I must have looked ready to kill as well, because she stood straighter and looked me straight in the eyes, trying to be intimidating. Not about to be scared by such tactics, I replied bluntly, "I'm sure Corey could have walked you home! He is alive. People can see him. You could introduce him to your mother. Isn't that what you want?" And that's when it happened. She did something I have never seen her do.  
  
A tear gathered in her eye lid, ready to fall. "You think I want to go out with him," she whispered, then turned on her heels and marched straight out the door. I could here her sobbing in the hall. I wanted so badly to comfort her, but then it occurred to me. She was caught. She was crying because I knew she wanted my gemelo, my twin, and not me, the dead rancher who understands nothing of her culture. She'd wanted to break it to me gently but it didn't work. I closed my eyes painfully, thinking of her lips on mine. then dematerialized into the rectory. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
"Jesse!" Father Dom smiled, looking up from his book. He tossed me another book by Fyodor Dosteyevsky, in Spanish, which made me smile. "Las Historias de la Casa De Los Muertos". "The Memoirs from the House of the Dead". What a wonderful title. Then it stung me. The Memoirs of the House of the Dead, the stories of the house I had just seen. Only I was the dead. And the house was not for memoirs, it was for painful nightmares. Sneaking away to see my friend Juan Cristobal, who ended up dying in an accident involving a cattle rustler and a six-shooter, the house where my little sister Tita was born, where I first met Maria.  
  
"Gracias, Padre." I knealt humbly, then opened it to the first page.  
  
"¿Estàs bien, Jesse?" Was I all right? Not hardly.  
  
"Sí, Padre, estoy bien. ¿Por cuàl razon no estuviera bien?" And the look on his face told me he didn't believe me. Why wouldn't I be fine? He looked up from his book.  
  
"Porque tuviste una lucha con Susannah." How did he know I had a fight? And it wasn't really a fight. I would call it an exposure. That I would never be what Susannah wanted, needed, because I was dead. And Corey was alive and well. Perhaps not well, as his girlfriend had just died. But Susannah could fix that, and I could tell she desired to when she looked at him. "No, Padre. No tuvemos una lucha.  
  
"Estàs rojo como una rana," Father Dominic said. Where did that phrase come from anyway? Red like a frog. I never understood it. "Es una mintira (sp?) y lo sabes."  
  
Perhaps it was a lie, but I was not about to tell my personal problems to the good father. "No hay una problema, Padre."  
  
That's when I heard her voice in the other room. And I guess he could tell by the way my brows furrowed, and the way I was shooting daggers at the door, that I was lying. To a priest. I was sure to burn in hell. 


	3. Chapter 3: Adagio Look for this song to ...

AN: Back to Suze's POV, tho, I must admit, since Italian is my first language, it sure was easier to write in Spanish than in English! Maybe one of these days I'll treat you to an Italian fic (totally weird, cuz English is my third language, but I can't write in my second one, which I learned because my dad is deaf) and all y'all can see an Italian ghost! Ohhh, new idea: STAY TUNED FOR A PRINCESS DIARIES FIC! MIA mia (My mia, I like it, and I suck at titles). per il Derci! Mia en Italia! Back to the fic: Suze's POV, I'd tell you if there was fluff, but I fear I may spoil the surprise (and what's wrong with fluff? I like fluff), and I own thirty two cents and a sewing needle, but not the mediator, but I've put up a handsome bid for the rights! (31 cents, so I still have some income ^_~)  
  
Father Dom came out of the room he had in the rectory, carrying a really big stack of books in one arm, half of which were in Spanish. He was waiting for Jesse too. He must have heard my crying, cuz he dropped all the books and embraced me, whispering, "It's okay, tell me what's wrong," over and over again.  
"Jesse is angry at me...he thinks that I want to go out with Corey..."  
I sobbed into his shirt, clutching at the black fabric. "Why does he think that?" he asked calmly, rubbing my back. It wasn't as much comforting as it was weird.  
He guided me into an armchair and gave me his handkerchief. It was all old-fashioned and lady like, with an "ICDS" stitched very roughly in the corner. I continued to sob, using the kerchief to wipe away my tears. "I don't know... he just kept saying how I wanted someone alive... but I never did, I only wanted him... and now he's angry and all confusing and I don't know what's wrong with me, I never cry, and... oh Father D!" I must have looked like such a baby sitting there and pouting about how my life was horrible. Father D knelt down and looked me straight in the eyes, which, by now, were red and puffy and looked like mushrooms.  
Placing one hand on my knee, he inhaled deeply. "Did you ever think that maybe he was jealous?" he asked slowly. "And if you knew anything about Luisa de Silva, you would know she didn't get along with Jesse. She was the eldest sister... maybe he feels bitter towards her, and her descendants, like Corey. Maybe he thinks that you want a living version of him, and now that you found one he has no one. Susannah, were you looking at Corey?"  
"Of course! He was hot," I cried, then realized what I had just said. To a priest, of all people. "He looked just like Jesse. I always stare at Jesse. But I could tell he wasn't Jesse."  
"Could Jesse?" he asked, which I guess he meant to be all mysterious and revolutionary.  
I raised my eyebrows. "Duh! Jesse has a little scar over his left eyebrow, and Corey doesn't. I like that scar! And Jesse's face is rounder, and Jesse is taller, and Jesse has stronger shoulders, and has a more wiry frame, and they looked a lot alike but he wasn't Jesse and that's who I love!" I burst out in two seconds, once again realizing what I had just said to a priest. I clasped my hands over my mouth, expecting to get yelled at about loving a ghost.  
Instead, Father Dom took the handkerchief, fingered the lettering, and placed it back in his pocket, eyes closed and daydreaming. "Do you know who gave that to me?" he asked quietly.  
I shook my head. He smiled really weakly. "Her name was Inez. She lived around Jesse's time, you know. She would get so jealous, so easily, even after the wedding"-Ah! That's who Father Dom married! Inez... what a weird name-"she would think I was looking at the living. And all I could do to show her that I wasn't was to love her more than I did before."  
Hello! Father Dom was.... he was actually... he said I should love Jesse MORE?? He always told me to love him less! I was baffled. And what was more baffling was who materialized in the arm chair next to me, reading some book in Spanish and couldn't pronounce the author's name. Ok, you all know who it was.  
He closed the book, sat up straighter, and looked from me to Father D, and back to me. "¿Por qué estoy aquí?" he asked Father Dom. I really really need to learn Spanish.  
"Porque tienes algo a decir a Susannah." Soooo need to learn Spanish, because I know that's my name they just said.  
"Sí, sé, pero... un otra vez..."  
"¿Cuándo?"  
"Esta noche," he said quickly, dematerializing.  
He rematerialized, whispered quickly in Father Dom's ear, then disappeared again. Father D reached up to a book shelf, removed a Spanish/English dictionary, looked a word up, put the dictionary down, and sat in front of me. "It was just his worry for you, Susannah. I think he cares about you too much, you know that, and he's become too jealous of the living. That's why this isn't healthy. You were jealous over the dead girl who came to today, and he was jealous over the living boy. You too are both guilty, Jesse simply... reacts differently than you do. You become angry at the object receiving what you want, something a lot of people call that anger-projection, while Jesse..."  
  
Three hours. Three hours of Father Dom's lectures. I'd stopped crying, so I guess it worked, but I now know more psychology than I ever wanted to know. I dropped my bag on the steps and trudged upstairs. "Where were you, honey?" Mom asked.  
"I was with Father Dom... I lost my biology book, so he lent me another to do my homework, and then he helped me with it. He's a great guy, Father Dom," I babbled, walking past Mom and Andy's bedroom and into my hallway. Opening the door, I was in shock. At first I thought I was the victim of one of those surprise by design shows, until I realized the design. My brother Doc's violin case was propped against the door, opened to reveal no violin. I think someone who wasn't me would have passed out, because they would see a dozen roses lying on a bed with once pink, now gold sheets (with really pretty red embroidery in geometry patterns). The walls had been painted a light brown, and the curtains were rough fabric. Dried flowers were hung on the walls, and on my bay window sat Jesse, playing the violin to a really sad song (AN: classical music fans, Adagio with Strings :cries hearing song, soooo depressing!:). He had redone my room, and it looked totally Spanish. On the walls were paintings with bright colors.  
He smiled and put down the violin. "Do you want to learn Spanish?" he asked softly. I nodded. "Lo siento. It means I'm sorry." He kissed me on the cheek. "Estuve tonto. I was stupid." He kissed me on the other cheek. "Te necesito. I need you." He whispered that one in my ear. "Y Te amo. I love you." And with that, he nibbled on my earlobe, making me melt.  
He held me close to him. "Susannah, I am sorry. I never meant to be so jealous. I was saving this for your birthday, I know you can't stand pink, and you never wanted to hurt your stepfather. I told Father D to tell your stepfather that this was a gift from him, in honor of your expertise in local history..." He kissed me on the cheek again. "He did that a month ago. I left a note to your stepfather saying that the crew was here and working."  
"How could you afford this?" I whispered.  
"I worked in the rectory, and Father Dom paid me. I requested him to buy the things I needed."  
My eyes were filled with tears. I guess I felt like he was at home with me, that he wanted me to be a part of his life... that's how I took this anyway. Ghosts can work fast... he did this while I was talking with Father Dom-now it makes sense. Three hours of lectures, whispering, speaking in Spanish... this was how he would apologize to me.  
"Oh, hello. Can I help you?" I heard from downstairs. It was my mother.  
A silky voice answered, "Is Suze Ackerman here?"  
"Her name is Simon, dear, Suze Simon. She kept her father's name. She's in her room. Can I get your name?"  
"Corey Vasquez. I've been looking for her."  
  
AN: HAH HAH! The fic is not over yet my friends. Although, I thought I should give you all a sense of completion after this. Anyway, how does he find her? Why is he here? Find out in the next thrilling chapter of Welcome Home Jesse! Bonus e-cookies if you can guess the really cool connection between Suze and Father D's Ghost Wife! 


	4. Chapter 4: How many de Silvas can you fi...

AN: Okay, so half of you are like, "Father Dom can speak Spanish?". As a resident of Southern California, and at one point Carmel (-_- I had to move, which sucked), and the child of a Sunday School teacher and a Church Secretary and a friend to like 90 pastors and 20 priests, only 4, 4 of those people don't speak Spanish! And those speak Korean and Japanese and some Italian (sighs blissfully, PER AMORE! Finale!) which is great, cuz a lot of translators, no offense, but they suck. Anyway, personal experience, yes, they do speak Spanish, and I doubt Father Dom would be an exception. Of course, I've been speaking English since I was 6, so I really don't need a translator, I just am one ^_~.  
  
BACK TO THE STORY!  
  
Oh my God. For the love of Dios (see I learned something from Jesse!)!  
  
Please, please, please tell me I didn't hear what I thought I just heard.  
  
Jesse's face was white as a ghost. Or, at least, as white as they are supposed to be. He looked at me, then at the door, and did this sighing motion. He couldn't really sigh (no breath), but he just looked really tired. Then he began to mutter as Corey came upstairs. "Suze Simon?" he asked, looking at me.  
  
I nod dumbly as my mom winked and walked away. Sorry Mom! Didn't you hear? I don't like the living. My life sucks sometimes. Corey shut the door.  
  
"What you said," he began slowly, "about Lauren, about my great uncle... how did you know?"  
  
Perhaps I shouldn't have rolled my eyes, because he got this look that said pissed. I knew it all too well, because as I looked over my shoulders Jesse had the same expression for his nephew here. "Jesse, we talked about this," I snapped, making him flush and pick up a book.  
  
"I'm Corey," he snapped back, "and don't tell me you made this up... I mean that's just... that book, is it... floating?" he asked suddenly, his eyes growing wide.  
  
"I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Jesse. Who is now reading"-Jesse looked at me, and held up the cover, which was in Spanish-"that," I settled on, having no clue how to pronounce that title. "Jesse is your great great great great... I don't know how many, but a lot of greats uncle. That's how I know. As for Lauren, she crossed over this morning. And how did you find me so quick?"  
  
He looked at his shoes. "I was talking to a cousin of mine from the area, Adam, and he recognized the description. He said you lived in the Ackerman house. So I came here."  
  
My turn to let my eyes grow wide. "Adam? He told you? You didn't told him why I saw you, did you? And Adam is a de Silva? What the heck?!?"  
  
Jesse looked up from his book, which he was intentionally burying himself in. "I have seen that Adam many times. He doesn't look Argentinean."  
  
"You're from Argentina?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Oookay. Anyway, Jesse's right. He doesn't look Argentinean."  
  
Corey looked at the book. "He was adopted. You can hear me, right?"  
  
"Yes, he can. Now did you or did you not tell Adam I had a message for you from the dead?"  
  
"Of course I did! Adam asked me who was at the door and I told him!"  
  
"Adam lives in Jesse's house?!?!?"  
  
"It wasn't my house, it was the servant's house."  
  
"Fine, he lives in the house that Jesse's servant's lived in?"  
  
"We all do. It's big enough."  
  
"Have I really never been to Adam's house?" I thought aloud. I shook myself out of it. "Great. Just great. You aren't supposed to talk about this. I would have told you if :someone: hadn't pulled me away."  
  
"I apologized!" "How was I supposed to know?" "Can you blame me?" "Excuse me, are you a mediator?"  
  
That last one caught me, because it wasn't Jesse or Corey. Corey was still babbling long after me and Jesse shut up. This was a girl dressed in a really old calico dress, but it looked brand new. She looked Spanish too, with lots of long black curls and brown eyes. Jesse's mouth was hanging open. "Stop drooling at her!" I hissed.  
  
He didn't stop looking at her, and only said, "I can't drool at her, Susannah. That's my sister Inez Anna."  
  
Inez? Then she was... Could this get any weirder?!? 


	5. Chapter 5: this is a short one

AN: Hi everyone!!! I don't own Suze, Father Dom, Jesse (although, Jesse does own my heart, :group sigh, awwww: ) or any of the other Mediator characters, since Meg Cabot hasn't responded to my lovely bid of 31 cents, American pennies. Well, pennies, dime, nickel, and old mint lifesaver covered with pocket lint. Mega-praise to Gorbash and Fireblade, two of my great friends here at FF.net, for their support. You guys rock!  
  
One more item of note: please critique me on grammar, not on the plot line. Feel free to ask questions about the plot or any Spanish words you don't get (I'm the first to admit that if I can't remember a word I'll insert the Italian one, cuz it's usually right). You can AIM me, but remember I'm on Alaskan time, which is one hour behind Pacific, and four behind the East coast. E-mail me too! If you want to become writing buddies or anything like that, I am a bit older and would love help out younger authors (I'm 17, :gets out walker and moves into home:) plus I know a lot about writing and lyricism. I'd luv to help! Amore d'io, Lita  
  
Oh yeah! And Spanish-English translations are at the bottom of the fic! Luv luv! Lita.  
  
Did I ever tell you that I need to learn Spanish? I do.  
  
Why? Because in my bedroom, this was the dialogue:  
  
"¡Hermana mia! ¿Dondé estuviste?"  
  
"Cada lugar y más, Jesse. ¿Y tú? Díme no estuviste en este cuarto por cien y cinquenta años."  
  
"Pero... no es una pregunta que... bien, sí..." Jesse blushed a brilliant scarlet, making me realize once again that I need to learn Spanish. What if they were talking about me?!? What if she asked about the kiss? Of course, if this was really Inez Anna de Silva, she'd probably kissed Father Dom a lot too. Okay, now I was blushing.  
  
No offense to Father Dom, but old priests shouldn't be kissed by the 1850's edition of Penelope Cruz.  
  
"¿Esta chica es una mediatadora, verdad?"  
  
"Sí, la es."  
  
"¿Por qué estás rojo?"  
  
"No estoy rojo."  
  
"Lo eres."  
  
"No."  
  
"Sí."  
  
"No."  
  
"Sí."  
  
"Would you two stop it already?!?" I screamed, stamping my foot. Corey looked confused, but shrugged it off. I guess he thought this couldn't get any weirder. "Suzie, phone!" Mom called.  
  
I looked from de Silva to de Silva. "Be right there, Mom!" I called back. "And for you two, try to speak English! This is America." I stormed down the stairs. "Hello?"  
  
"Suze, this is Cee Cee"-"And Adam!"-"And Adam," Cee Cee confirmed.  
  
"Hey guys, what's up?"  
  
Then my face grew pale. I took the cordless to my room, feeling like I had been punched in the gut. Cee Cee and Adam had called me three-way to discuss the crazy thing Adam's cousin Corey had told him. That I could see ghosts. "Listen, guys, I've never even met Corey." Corey raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Suze, I saw you walk away from my house," Adam pointed out. "And Corey'd answered the door. He was crying, Suze. Crying."  
  
I looked over at Corey, bitter he'd put me in this situation. "You know how crazy this all sounds?" I asked loudly.  
  
"Sure we do, Suze," Cee Cee soothed. "But if you can't see ghosts, when are you going to introduce us to Jesse?"  
  
...  
  
...  
  
Damn! She had me! I guess my silence tipped me off. "Suze, Jesse... is he a ghost?" Adam asked quickly, like if he took more than two seconds he would be shot. "He is, isn't he! I knew it!"  
  
Jesse stiffed a little. "Did I hear what I thought I just heard?"  
  
Inez dematerialized, then reappeared. "Mi amor will be here shortly," she said tersely to me, then continued to rant in Spanish to her brother. He snapped back at her. She looked like she was going to burst into tears. He apologized quietly. She beamed at him and all this time Cee Cee and Adam began to prod me with questions. Father Dom came in. I made a confused face and pointed to the phone. "Just tell them, Suze. I-Inez? Is that you?!?" he cried, picking up the girl and spinning her in the air. "INEZ!"  
  
"Is that Father Dom?" Cee Cee asked.  
  
"Yes, it is," I admitted, "and he can see ghosts too."  
  
Translations: "My sister! Where have you been?"  
  
"Everywhere and then some, Jesse! And you? Tell me that you haven't been in this room for 150 years!"  
  
"But... that's not a question that... fine, yes..."  
  
"This girl is a mediator, correct?"  
  
"Yes, she is."  
  
"Why are you all red?"  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Yes you are."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
AN: Short Chapter, I know, but I don't do it by length, I do it by revelation. 


	6. Chapter 6: PAUL BASHING TIME!

AN: Chapter Six!!! After this, just one more and all is done in Welcome Home Jesse. So here's how we're going to play it: Number one, I own none of the rights to The Mediator Series, and if I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction, I'd be writing screenplays. Number two: If you would like to see a sequel, which may or may not include every one's favorite living Jesse 2.0, who I have named Corey, AIM me, Email me, Review me, and I'll see if my muse bites me again. Of course, last time it scarred... Thirdly, look out for the next fic, which will be incredibly special to me. It's gonna be called Watch Your Language, and it's dedicated to all my deaf family and friends. Suze is dealing with a deaf ghost! And what's weirder, unlike most ghosts, her disability hasn't been righted posthumously. Why?!? Find out in Watch Your Language!  
  
Oh and of course, major thanks to all my supporters, esp. Gorbash and Fireblade, who both "rock my socks". ^_~ Thanks bunches! Now on with the show!!! oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
Cee Cee sat on my bed. Jesse was on his window seat, stroking Spike and eying Adam suspiciously. Probably because Adam had chosen to sit on the edge of my newly redone desk. Corey was leaning against the door to my closet, looking smug, which really didn't make any sense. He was clueless. He has been for the entire time I have known him. All twelve hours. Inez and Father Dom were trying to be subtle about holding hands, you know, how you only join pinkies? Father D, hate to say it, but it didn't work.  
  
So here we were, the weirdest crew I had ever seen, and about to make some big startling revelation. And I wasn't about to be quiet. "Father D, we all know you're trying to hold hands with her. Get it over with and grab it already."  
  
"Suze, you know full and well I don't approve of human ghost relationships."  
  
I pointed behind him, where Inez looked hurt. He murmured to her in Spanish, which caused Jesse to blush. "What did he say?"  
  
"I'd rather not repeat it, querida..." But he was still blushing and focusing on Spike with all his might.  
  
"Well, Cee Cee, Adam, if you haven't figured it out, I can see ghosts. Corey's girlfriend called me to talk to him this morning to set the record straight about some question he'd asked. So I went to go handle it. Jesse is sitting on the window seat, that's where he always sits."  
  
Cee Cee laughed. "I take it he's beneath the amazing floating cat?"  
  
I rolled my eyes in frustration. "Yes, that's his cat, Spike. And that large stack of books belongs to him too. In case you didn't know, I don't read Aristotle's Republic."  
  
"I thought that was Plato," Adam mused.  
  
"Oh come on, Adam, you think Plato is the stuff you ate when you were two." Corey had a sharp tongue. I smiled at him, until I noticed the paintings on the walls were starting to shake. "Oh give me a break, Jesse! It was funny!" I burst, turning on him. "Now, let's get down to business. Me and Father Dom, we see dead people. Father Dom is my coach I guess, Jesse is the ghost that used to live in my bedroom but moved into the rectory"-Adam looked up.  
  
"You had a dead cowboy in your bedroom?"  
  
The walls were shaking again. "A rancher, not a cowboy," I soothed more to Jesse than Adam. "But basically yeah. And stay away from Paul. He's a mediator too, but he's not your friendly variety."  
  
At this point I was looking up at heaven and screaming, "WHAT THE HELL DID I DO WRONG??? HOW DID I OFFEND YOU?!? WHAT DID I DO TO PISS YOU OFF?!?" Jesse stood suddenly, throwing Spike off his lap. "Suzie, you have another guest. Did you plan a party or something? Do you want me to order pizza?"  
  
"Um no Mom this is a study group hi Paul I didn't think you were coming bye mom." I said that in about two seconds. Paul sneered. As Mom left, Jesse grabbed Paul's collar. "Jesse, put him d-no, wait a second. What are you doing here?"  
  
"Hey, I was in the neighborhood. Besides, it looks like a big meeting. Why wasn't I invited?"  
  
Before I could answer, Jesse snarled, "Because I hate you."  
  
Ooookey. Now, I had two options. A) I could continue to watch as Jesse gently squeezed and Paul turned a twinge of blue, or B) Get Jesse to put him down, then punch him for some reason I hadn't thought of, and then introduce him around to everyone as the person who tried to exorcise Jesse (after all, half these people were his family! they could beat him up for me).  
  
To my dismay, Father D chose option C. "Jesse, put him down. Now Paul, you know you are not welcome in the Ackerman house. Furthermore, I don't think it would be wise to be within an arm's reach of Jesse. Or Inez. Or Adam. Or even Cee Cee. I'm not sure about Corey yet, but really, it is his family you tried to destroy. Paul, you aren't acting wise. "  
  
This speech didn't really impress him. "C'mon, Suze," he said silkily, ignoring Father D. "What can dead boy offer you?"  
  
"Well he never tried to rape me," I offered coyly. And that's when it happened. Inez began to glow and shouted at Paul in Spanish. I caught "Chupa un pollo, hijo de puta" and a couple of other choice phrases that I was sure they didn't teach in Spanish class. The walls were shaking madly as Jesse landed a good solid punch in his gut, and Adam to his chin, and Cee Cee grabbed that curly hair. Father D was sitting in a weird orange leather looking chair, looking at the commotion. He was muttering, "I told you so," and counting the beads on his rosary. I guess that's how preists fidget.  
  
"Mom!" I called after the beating was over. "Paul fell and hit some of my furniture! Call a doctor! Quick!" Wow. I can lie really well. Anyway, soon enough, the ambulance took him away. Jesse looked at his sister. "Mira tu lengua."  
  
I really wish I knew what that meant. Anyway, the next day at school I was sure to have a blast. After all, my friends KNEW. I didn't have to hide it. And what's better is what Dr. Slaski had made for them.  
  
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo (AN: hah hah! I'm not done! This is a long chappie for me, brace yourself)  
  
"Did you hear?" I overheard Kelly Prescott say, "Paul Slater was put into a hospital."  
  
"Yeah," Debbie agreed. "For what?"  
  
"For trying to touch me," I whispered in her ear as I passed. I loved the look on her face.  
  
Cee Cee caught up with me. "How's Jesse?"  
  
"Pissed. He doesn't like Paul."  
  
"Gee, I wonder why."  
  
We were sitting in math when Father D came in and requested me, Cee Cee, and Adam all see him in the office. Great. Now they were gonna sit on my "be less violent" lectures. I was wrong though. Two sets of sunglasses sat on the desk, one obviously for girls, not guys. "Those are for both of you," Father D said, swinging around his desk.  
  
I nodded to Inez. She smiled and waved, then sat back down and continued to read the Bible. Father Dom wasn't kidding, the de Silvas were very religious. They put them on and stepped back. "Who's she? Is she a ghost?" Cee Cee gasped, then stepped back.  
  
"Father D?" I whispered. "Can she, they, see Inez now?"  
  
"Yes... those are Dr. Slaski's glasses for the family of Mediators. I asked for them today, and he got them to me quickly. Cee Cee and Adam still cannot hear them, however."  
  
"My God," I whispered. "My God... Cee Cee better not take Jesse!" And Jesse appeared right as I said his name.  
  
And Cee Cee immediately began to drool. oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo AN: LAST CHAPTER NEXT! TELL ME YOUR OPINIONS ON WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE, AND LOOK OUT FOR MORE BEAUTIFUL SUZE SIMON ACTION FROM LITA PERN! ::loud applause::  
  
::sigh of relief:: Just one more, Leets. Just one more. 


	7. Chapter 7: The final Chapter!

AN: Well, it's been a while. I'm back, though, with the final chapter FINALLY translated from Italian to English—heh heh. Sorry about that. Anyway, here's how it all ended in this wonderful tale, Welcome Home, Jesse! 59 reviews… I'm so happy I could cry. Here it goes. I did do some minor editing, as I'm older and I'd like to think wiser now. So I touched it up… it's not great, but now it doesn't suck.

Hello, my friends (this term for friends, amicos, can be used for either males or females, hence the next statement) (friends, females only, probably). Well, I promised to write a story in Italian, and here it is, the final chapter of Welcome Home, Jesse! I do not own The Mediator or Meg Cabot. Thanks, Gorbash and Dreamcoat, for your support. I love you!

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Jesse stood next to the window, looking out and waiting for Suze. "Why is she late?" he muttered under his breath, petting his cat impatiently. "She's never this late coming home from school."

At that moment, the door opened. Suze was breathing heavily, looking ragged. "Sorry," she said, "I didn't mean to be late, but CeeCee wanted me to help with the newspaper. Oh, and she kept telling me just how handsome you are… all the time. Father Dom just had to give her those glasses, didn't he?"

Jesse smiled. It faded quickly. "I had a meeting with Father Dom today," he whispered. "Corey, the good Father, and I were there. He suggested that I live in my old home, Susannah… and I agreed. I wish to go back home. Is that okay with you?"

Suze breathed in sharply. "No." Jesse looked hurt. "But I'll live. I know you probably miss your old house, Jesse, that you wanted to go back… I love you, Jesse. If that's what you want, that's what you can have, querido."

Jesse smiled softly at her, then disappeared.

"WHAT?" she demanded. "No kiss? Rip off."

There you have it, folks, the final edition of WHJ. Hope that gave you some closure, though I wish I could have done better. I love you all and plan to write more soon... Expect something in a month or so, okay? Lovely. 3 3 Lita Pern


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